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Do deer eat wax myrtle
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The first plant that comes to mind is a dwarf cultivar of Morella cerifera (wax myrtle). These are available in most nurseries. Unattractive to deer, this is a reliable grower in the edges of a forest garden. It tolerates a variety of soils from sand to clay, and will. Hardy plant. This shrub tree is no maintenance once established. The Wax Myrtle tolerates drought, heat, and salt. They are also resistant to deer damage.
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Crepe myrtles, also spelled as crape myrtles, are a genus of 50 species of deciduous trees and shrubs. These trees are well known for their colorful and long-lasting flowers in summer. Deer do eat crepe myrtle, but rarely. Even when they are hungry, they will eat other plants that are not ideal but will not eat crepe myrtle.
The reason is, crepe myrtles are deer resistant. For this, crepe myrtles have smooth mottled bark to defend themselves. Crepe myrtles are deer resistant. As these plants are deer resistant, deer do not even feed on them occasionally, let alone by habit.
Hungry deer tend to eat plants or vegetations that do not have the ideal characteristics of their diet. Also, depending on climate conditions and food supply, they decide to eat plants that they do not usually consume.
Deer are most likely to eat unpredicted food during the spring season while most plants undergo new growth. Deer look forward to eating the tender growth, flower buds, and berries, of plants since they expect these parts to have high water content. To avoid getting consumed by deer, crepe myrtles have smooth blotchy barks. Their blotchy barks make them deer resistant, and hence, deer seldom eat any variety of crepe myrtles. Occasionally, deer browse through crepe myrtles. Deer browsing through crepe myrtles, however, is something that does not always happen.
Reasons why deer seldom eats crepe myrtle are:. Crepe myrtles have smooth, exfoliating barks that cannot be easily chewed on by deer, and so, deer do not prefer eating the body or branches of the plant.
Even though crepe myrtles have bright colored flowers, these flowers have paper-like textures and hence, do not attract deer. As mentioned earlier, deer only eat parts of a plant that are expected to have high water potential and since these paper-like flowers do not have much water in them, deer are uninterested in consuming them.
Crepe myrtles have flowers that give off a strong scent and deer are not fond of strong scents giving flowers and so, leave them without eating. Deer avoid plants that are toxic to them, and crepe myrtles are considered slightly harmful to deer. Yes, dwarf crepe myrtles are deer resistant. While no plant can be considered deer-proof, deer do not like consuming any variety of crepe myrtles. Deer consider all crepe myrtles to be the same inedible plant. Crepe myrtles are slightly toxic to deer so, they keep away from these plants.
Deer do not care about the height or the variety of the crepe plant so, even dwarf crepe plants can be said to be deer resistant. While deer do not eat crepe myrtles, they do damage the plants with their antlers. Following the suggestions below will help protect the crepe myrtles from deer damage. The first and the most effective way is to use Liquid Fence.
Liquid Fence is a product that contains garlic which creates a strong scent that is disagreeable to deer. So, deer do not come close to anything surrounded by Liquid Fence. Damaged parts of crepe myrtles can be pruned. Pruning will allow the plant to heal itself by regrowing its damaged parts. Building a fence of wood or metal will prevent deer from coming close to the protected plants and damaging them. Deers have a strong sense of smell and, if they smell coffee grounds nearby, they will feel the presence of humans nearby and stay away from the property.
Where there are a considerable number of deer, people consider planting plants that are deer resistant. Growing any one of the plants from the list below will ensure that no deer harms the growing plant as all of the listed plants are deer resistant. Fringe trees are shade tolerant but will also tolerate full sun if available.
These trees are deer resistant and will grow at degrees Fahrenheit. Fringe trees require a lot of water and reach about 15 to 20 feet tall. The White Fringe trees are similar to the Fringe trees mentioned before. White Fringe trees also grow about 20 feet tall and are deer resistant. Saucer Magnolia flowers are resistant to deer damage even though these look very delicate. Like most Magnolias, this tree is quite a deer-resistant tree.
Full-grown Saucer Magnolias reach 25 feet in height. Serviceberry trees may reach about 40 feet in height and tolerate partial shade to full sun. They are native to North America and are well known for the delicious fruits they bear. Numerous species of the Serviceberry show quality resistance to deer. Flowering Quince are known more for their red and pink flowers than for their fruits. These are dwarf plants and grow to be only about 6 feet tall. Although a dwarf plant, it is deer-resistant.
There are multiple species of Hawthorn trees and almost all of them are tough, adaptable, and can tolerate both wet and dry sites. They produce bitter crabapple-like fruits and are considered to be deer resistant.
Chinese Dogwoods produce red berries that are bland and, the trees get fully covered with flowers in spring. These trees reach 20 feet high and are deer resistant. Arrowwood Viburnum bears clusters of creamy white flowers in late spring. Blueberry-like fruits follow flowers during the summer. This plant is quite resistant to deer. Crepe myrtle pests play a significant role in damaging the tree.
Aphids, one of the most common crepe myrtle pests, can be seen on the leaves and branches of the tree. These can be washed off with a high-pressure water flow and can be rid of by using environmentally safe pesticides or insecticides. Another one of the pests is sooty mold. They do not directly harm the plant and will go away if aphids are removed from the tree. Spider mites will also cause sizeable damage. They leave webbing behind and suck the sap from the tree vessels.
They cannot be seen without magnification and, using proper insecticides and pesticides, can be removed from the tree. Scale insects, however, do not look like insects at all. They are similar to aphids but have a strong barrier outside their body. Also, Japanese beetles are worth mentioning. These bugs eat the tree and, the larvae they produce are complete pests and will damage the tree. Enough larvae can damage the whole tree causing the tree to lose life.
No trees or plants are deer-proof but, since deer do not frequently damage or eat crepe myrtles, they are considered deer resistant. Similar trees exist, which can be planted where the deer population is high or deer visits frequently. And, a little effort can help crepe myrtles thrive.
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Wax Myrtle – Myrica cerifera | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Wax Myrtle Jewels – Eat The Weeds and other things, too
Your garden may be a feast for the eyes, but it may also be a feast for the local deer population and other herbivorous mammals. Having a lush garden that attracts wildlife is a joy, but the last thing you want is your beautiful garden decimated by a hungry herd of deer. However, there are ways to prevent this by planting certain species of plants that deer find unpalatable.
While there are no fully deer-proof plants — a hungry deer might eat anything — there are some species that may look beautiful but have bristly textures, fuzzy leaves, or poisonous compounds that deter deer from eating them. The docile creatures, particularly white-tailed deer, tend to like narrow-leafed evergreens such as arborvitae and fir, as well as English ivy, daylilies, and hostas.
While it is impossible to make your garden fully deer-proof, there are certain plants that deer find unpalatable and will avoid eating, unless forced to find food. Bear in mind that even these deer-resistant varieties can also be vulnerable in the first few weeks of growth due to being nitrogen-rich, however, they can be protected from being damaged by spraying them with a deer-repellent for the first few weeks of growth. There are some plants that deer tend to avoid altogether due to their strong aroma, odd textures, or unpalatable leaves.
Canna lilies, commonly known as Indian shot or African arrowroot, are sun-loving annuals that grow up to five feet tall and make a striking statement in any garden. They have green or burgundy leaves that can be striped or variegated, and elegant flowers in bright colors.
Cannas have a long lifespan and the tuberous roots can be dug up each autumn and stored in a box of peat moss for the winter to be planted again next spring. Pot marigolds, also known as common or Scotch marigold, or ruddles, is an old-school, deer-resistant annual that blooms in bright shades of orange, yellow, rust, and soft pink, adding dazzling color to any garden. Calendulas boast single- and double-petaled varieties and have anti-bacterial healing properties and repel certain insects, as well as hungry deer.
Commonly known as the floss flower, blueweed, pussyfoot, or Mexican paintbrush, this is an annual bloom with pompom-shaped clusters of lavender-blue flowers that look like mini powder puffs, adding a soft, pastel-colored touch to the garden. Standing about 24 inches tall, the elegant bloom has several varieties and comes in shades of light or dark blue, pink, purple, or white.
The rough-textured foliage and fuzzy flower clusters keep deer at bay. While there are plenty of perennial, and evergreen species, the frost-sensitive annual salvia are classic deer-resistant plants that are drought tolerant and come in a range of bright colors. Members of the mint family, salvias have a square stem and fragrant foliage and thrive in full sun.
Verbenas are semi-woody annual flowering plants with small five-petaled flower clusters that brighten up in the garden in colors of blue, purple, lavender, pink, dark red, yellow, and white. They have dark green, oblong, toothed leaves with an unpalatable taste that deter deer and can bloom from spring until frost.
Boasting elegant silvery foliage and a strong fragrance, Russian sage is an eye-catching sunny perennial with spiky clusters of flowers. Its fragrant foliage is highly deer-resistant, and the plant produces an abundance of bright amethyst blue blooms from late spring until autumn.
Russian sage may not be a favorite with deer, but bees and hummingbirds flock around the sweet-scented flowers. Catmint or eastern catmint is an aromatic herb that produces clusters of lavender-blue flowers and is detested by deer.
The easy-to-grow, low-maintenance plant likes full sun and well-drained soil and is thought to have been as herbal tea and insect repellent centuries ago during Roman times.
Bright bushels of lavender purple add color to the garden in early summer and early fall. Snapdragons can grow from 6 to 36 inches tall and come in many colors, ranging from pink, purple, and burgundy to red, yellow, orange, and white.
When the unique flowers are pressed on both sides, they look like dragons opening and closing their jaws. A great deer-deterrent due to its thick, textured leaves, Ligularia can live up to five years in optimum conditions. Bee Balm, also known as horsemint, Oswego tea, and wild bergamot, is part of the mint family and is a highly fragrant perennial with minty-scented foliage that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, but deters deer. Daisy-like flowers with tubular petals in vibrant hues of pink, purple, red, and white add colorful cheer and aromatic scents to any garden, year-on-year.
Boxwood is a popular landscape shrub that is prominently featured in traditional European garden designs and can be left to grow in its natural form or pruned into intricate shapes and designs.
Ranging in height from a few inches to ten feet, the foliage of this plant can be toxic to animals such as cats, dogs, and deer, if ingested. Wax myrtles, also known as bayberry, bay-rum tree, candleberry, and sweet gale boast neat evergreen foliage that can be sheared into a variety of shapes and designs. The non-leguminous plant has a strong, spicy scent that deters deer, and certain varieties like the Pacific wax myrtle are extremely drought tolerant.
Doghobble, also known as drooping leucothoe, fetterbush, and mountain doghobble, is an evergreen spreading shrub with several varieties that grow in both coastal and mountainous regions. The shrub has graceful arching branches with sharply toothed glossy green foliage and clusters of drooping and fragrant white flowers. The foliage is highly toxic to animals such as cats, dogs, and deer if ingested. Evergreen barberry is a low-maintenance shrub with rich colors that makes an interesting addition to any garden.
While the deciduous Japanese barberry B. They have sharp thorns which are a good deterrent for deer and make for excellent hedges or live barriers.
Sweet box, or Christmas box, is a slow-growing evergreen shrub native to eastern and south-eastern Asia that bears fragrant clusters of tiny white flowers and red or black fruit. The sweetly scented plant prefers deep shade and can grow where few other plants can and comes alive in winter when everything else in the garden is hibernating.
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